The influence of socio-economic status and parents' educational background on career aspirations of young adults

Abstract

In South Africa, socio-economic inequality has a profound negative impact on various socio-economic levels, including education and the success of many young adults and their career aspirations (Buthelezi et al., 2009; Sayed & Van Niekerk, 2017). Therefore, this study aimed at exploring the influence of the educational background and socioeconomic status of parents on the career aspirations of young adults. A qualitative study was employed to explore the unique lived experiences of the participants. The focal point of the study was the process young adults follow towards formulating their career aspirations. Semi-structured interviews were conducted as a data collection method. The aims of the study required purposive sampling as a method to analyse the data and content analysis was used to extract themes and sub-themes. The study found that the educational background and socio-economic status of parents inform how much access young adults have to knowledge and resources and would increase their confidence and possibility to pursue their career aspirations. Recommendations were made to organisations, industrial and organisational psychologists, and career counsellors on how to best support young adults and come up with initiatives that could be implemented in their journeys towards becoming fulfilled employees.

ENingizimu Afrika, ukungalingani kwezenhlalisano yabantu nakwezomnotho kunemiphumela emibiki kakhulu kumazinga ehlukene kubantu nakwezomnotho, okubandakanya ezemfundo kanye nempumelelo yabantu abasha abaningi kanye nezintshisekelo zabo ngama-career (Buthelezi et al., 2009; Sayed & Van Niekerk, 2017). Ngakho-ke, lolu cwaningo lunenhloso yokuqhwanda ngomthelela womsusa kwizimo zabazali kwezemfundo kanye nezimo zenhlalisano yabantu nakwezomnotho kwizintshisekelo zama-career zabantu abasha. Kusetshenziswe ucwaningo lwenqubo ye-qualitative ukuqhwanda ngezipiliyoni zabantu ababambe iqhaza. Ucwaningo lugxile kakhulu kwiprosese elandelwa ngabantu abasha ekwenzeni izintshisekelo zamacareer abo. Kusetshenziswa ama-semi-structured interviews njengemethodi yokuqoqa ulwazi. Inhloso yocwaningo ibidinga ukwenza i-purposive sampling njengemethodi yokuhlaziya ulwazi kanti futhi nokuhlaziya ingqikithi yodaba ukucaphuma ama-theme nama sub-theme noma izihloko nezihlokwana. Ucwaningo luthole ukuthi imvelaphi yezemfundo kanye nesimo sabazali kwezenhlalisano yabantu nezomnotho kuyisakhelo sempumelelo enkulu yokuthi abantu abasha bafinyelela kangakanani kulwazi kanye nemithombo yosizo, kanye nokwenyusa ukuzithemba kwabo kanye namathuba okulandelela izintshisekelo zama-career abo. Kwenziwe izincomo kwizinhlangano, ama-industrial and organisational psychologist, kanye nabeluleki ngama-career ukuthi bangasekela kancono kanjani abantu abasha, kanye nokuqhamuka nezindlela zokubasiza kuhambo lwabo lokuba ngabasebenzi abanempumelelo.

Ka Afrika Borwa, tlhokego ya tekatekano mabapi le ekonomi ya setšhaba e na le seabe se sego seo se sa kgahlišego maemong a mehutahuta a ekonomi ya setšhaba, go akaretšwa thuto le katlego ya bafsa ba bantši le ditlhologelo tša bona tša go hwetša mešomo (Buthelezi et al., 2009; Sayed & Van Niekerk, 2017). Ka fao, dinyakišišo tše di ikemišeditše go lekodišiša khuetšo yeo maemo a thuto le maemo a batswadi go ekonomi ya setšhaba di nago le yona go ditlhologelo tša go hwetša mešomo ka bafsa. Go dirišitšwe dinyakišišo tša boleng ka nepo ya go lekodišiša maitemogelo a go swana a nnoši a bakgathatema. Nepišokgolo ya dinyakišišo e bile tshepedišo yeo bafsa ba e latelago ge ba hlama ditlhologelo tša bona tša go hwetša mešomo ye itšego. Dipoledišano tšeo dipotšišo tša tšona di sego tša hlangwa peleng di swerwe bjalo ka mokgwa wa go kgoboketša tshedimošo. Maikemišetšo a dinyakišišo a nyakile gore go dirwe sampole ya maikemišetšo bjalo ka mokgwa wa go sekaseka tshedimošo gomme tshekatsheko ya diteng e šomišitšwe go hwetša merero le merero ya ka fasana. Dinyakišišo di utollotše gore maemo a thuto le maemo a batswadi go ekonomi ya setšhaba di laola ka fao bafsa ba ka kgonago go fihlelela tsebo le methopo gomme se se tla oketša boitshepo bja bona le kgonagalo ya gore ba latele ditlhologelo tša bona tša mešomo ye itšego. Go dirilwe ditšhišinyo go mekgatlo, go bašomi ba tša menagano ba ka diintastering le ba ka dikhamphaning, le go baeletši ba tša mešomo mabapi le ka fao ba ka thušago bokaone bafsa le go tla ka masolo ao a ka phethagatšwago ka leetong la bona gore ba fetoge bašomi bao ba kgotsofetšego.